The 2006 Census of Population and Housing found there were approximately 296,183 people whose main job in the week prior to Census Night was in a cultural industry (classified by ANZSIC 1993) compared to 299,266 in 2001.

While industries as a whole reported a 10% increase in employment from 2001 to 2006, employment in cultural industries decreased by 1%. The size of the change over that period differed for individual cultural industries. For example, the largest increase in employment was in the Photographic studios industry (45%). This was followed by a 28% increase in the Other periodical publishing industry. The largest decrease in employment was 46% in the Libraries, museums and the arts undefined industry followed by the Libraries industry at 39%.

As displayed in table 5.2, in the 2006 Census 345,950 people stated that they were employed in the cultural industries (classified by ANZSIC 2006). The major employing industries were Printing (37,543 people employed), Other cultural industries (32,518), Newspaper and book retailing (28,010), Newspaper publishing (26,573) and Other specialised design services (18,632). The smallest employing industries were Music publishing (234 people employed), Music and other sound recording activities (814) and Motion picture and video distribution (871).

Compared with employment in all industries, those employed in cultural industries were more likely to:

be female (49% in cultural industries, compared with 46% in all industries)

work between 1 and 34 hours each week (34% compared with 30% in all industries)

have a weekly income below $400 a week (25% compared with 21% in all industries).

About 45% of the people employed in the cultural industries had a cultural occupation (i.e. their work was culturally-orientated such as a writer, painter or curator), with the remainder having non-cultural occupations such as receptionists, sales assistants, clerks, cleaners and security guards.

5.2 PERSONS EMPLOYED IN CULTURAL INDUSTRIES(a)(b)(c), By whether working in cultural occupations(d) - August 2006

Industry

Cultural occupations

Other occupations(e)

Total

Percentage of occupations which are cultural

Libraries and Archives

5 249

1 757

7 006

74.9

Museum Operation

2 619

3 793

6 412

40.8

Zoological and Botanic Gardens Operation

596

1 975

2 571

23.2

Nature Reserves and Conservation Parks Operation

1 385

4 759

6 144

22.5

Printing

17 960

19 583

37 543

47.8

Newspaper Publishing

12 386

14 187

26 573

46.6

Magazine and Other Periodical Publishing

3 726

4 852

8 578

43.4

Internet Publishing and Broadcasting

308

850

1 158

26.6

Book Publishing

2 370

4 004

6 374

37.2

Music Publishing

36

198

234

15.4

Reproduction of Recorded Media

298

1 988

2 286

13.0

Music and Other Sound Recording Activities

495

319

814

60.8

Book and Magazine Wholesaling

266

3 357

3 623

7.3

Entertainment Media Retailing

300

5 332

5 632

5.3

Newspaper and Book Retailing

233

27 777

28 010

0.8

Architectural Services

20 373

9 713

30 086

67.7

Advertising Services

8 092

19 555

27 647

29.3

Other Specialised Design Services

12 907

5 725

18 632

69.3

Motion Picture and Video Production

5 381

1 983

7 364

73.1

Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Activities

515

383

898

57.3

Motion Picture and Video Distribution

114

757

871

13.1

Motion Picture Exhibition

2 258

6 642

8 900

25.4

Radio Broadcasting

2 495

2 731

5 226

47.7

Free-to-Air Television Broadcasting

7 813

4 833

12 646

61.8

Cable and Other Subscription Broadcasting

556

2 372

2 928

19.0

Performing Arts Operation

2 768

1 552

4 320

64.1

Creative Artists, Musicians, Writers and Performers

11 923

2 558

14 481

82.3

Performing Arts Venue Operation

719

1 956

2 675

26.9

Video and Other Electronic Media Rental

145

10 832

10 977

1.3

Professional Photographic Services

5 242

1 875

7 117

73.7

Arts Education

12 059

3 647

15 706

76.8

Other cultural industries(f)

15 604

16 914

32 518

48.0

Total cultural industries

157 191

188 759

345 950

45.4

(a) Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.

(b) In their main job in the week before Census Night.

(c) Industries defined by the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0).

(d) The cultural occupations included are a subset of the ANZSCO First Edition Alternative View Culture and Leisure. For more information see Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0).

Source: ABS data available on request, Census of Population and Housing, 2006.

The 2006 Census of Population and Housing found that there were 284,791 people whose main job in the week prior to Census Night was in a cultural occupation (classified by ANZSCO). Some of the more common cultural occupations included Design workers, Architects and urban planners and Printing workers.

According to the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, more males (55%) than females (45%) worked in cultural occupations. In particular, males dominated the occupations of Broadcasting, film and recorded media equipment operator, Camera operator, Light and sound technician and Television equipment operator. Conversely, females greatly outnumbered males in occupations such as Library and archive workers and Other arts support workers. More information can be found in Employment in Culture, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 6273.0)

According to the 2006 Census, the median weekly income for all persons working in cultural occupations was $741, compared with $718 for all employed persons.

5.3 EMPLOYED PERSONS BY OCCUPATION(a)(b)(c) - August 2006

Persons employed

Occupation

no.

Built, collectable and environmental heritage workers

9 763

Library and archive workers

25 741

Other heritage workers

68

Writers and print media workers

23 769

Performing artists and music composers

15 412

Performing arts support workers

14 745

Visual arts and crafts professionals

14 153

Architects and urban planners

32 038

Design workers

59 333

Broadcasting, film and recorded media equipment Operators

8 125

Printing workers

31 073

Other arts support workers

21 119

Other arts workers

4 271

Other cultural occupations

25 181

Total cultural occupations

284 791

Other occupations(d)

8 819 396

Total employed persons

9 104 187

(a) Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.

(b) In their main job in the week before Census Night.

(c) The cultural occupations included are a subset of the ANZSCO First Edition Alternative View Culture and Leisure. For more information see Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0).

(d) Includes not stated or inadequately described.

Source: ABS data available on request, Census of Population and Housing, 2006.